Pressing machine



Oct. 30, T928: l,6 89,473

i a. w. BROCKETT I PRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Shets-Sheet lOct. 30,1928. B. W. BROCKETT PRESSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 29, 1926 gwmmto'a B. W. BROCKETT Oct. 30, 1928.

PRESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 erator having tocompletely close the machine.

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLUFORD .W. BROCKETT, OE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECTAND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, F ONE-HALF TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY(XJMPANY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, A- CORPORATION OF OHIO, AND ONE-HALF T0UNITED STATES HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, .N. Y., .A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE,

'rnnssme mourns.

Application and January 29, 192s. Serial m. 84,655.

This invention relates to pressing machines for use in finishing andshaping garments for the laundry as well as the garment trade.

Heretofore these presses have been of var ous types familiar to thoseinterested in this art and these types may be readily separated intoclasses. One class is the hand closed with after power type where theoperator closes the press by hand and either automatically or optionallyproduces a power operation. Another class is what may be termed theautomatic type where the operator, through a suitable controller,mitiates the closing operation when the machine closes and goes throughto final pressure and stops with the article under pressure. With thefirst class the operator must wait until the machine is entirely closedsothat where several machines are placed for operation by a singleoperator much time is lost and production diminished by the necessityfor the op- The second class has the advantage in speed over thefirst/class but machines of this type are apt to be dangerous and forthat reason are many times equipped with guards or safety devices whichprevent the operator from accomplishing the result dBSlIQd. It iswellunderstood that garments of various t pes in both fields areobstinate in the sense that they do not readily adapt themselves to thelays which the-machines are adapted to treat requiring the attention ofthe operators hand to hold the article in the desired lay. The presenceof the .operators hand, of course, produces a dangerous situation whichmust be disposed of in some way to prevent injur -With the guardedmachine the ards interfere with the operator manipufelting the lay andhence these machines are somewhat inefficient because they'do not pressor finsh the garment in proper form orshape.

The resent invention aims to overcome these difficulties by providingamachine of what might be termed an automatic type in that it closesautomatically after being started and goes through to final pressure,but is arranged so that the closing operation,

while automatic, is safe and may be interrupted by the operator withoutinjury so that the desired lay-may be accomplished and substantiallysothat the operator may, after producing the proper lay, hold the garmentin such a position until it is clamped in the press. v

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims when considered together with the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring'to the drawings, Fi 1 is a side elevation of the machine openaii d ready for use; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the machine' closed;Fig. 3 is a detail view of the opening switch; Fig. 4 is a section uponthe line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view partly in section upon the line5-5 of Fig. 6, and illustrating the pressure applying switch; Fig. 6 isa section upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of thecommutator device; Fig. 8 is an end View. with parts brokenaway; andFig. 9 is a detailed view of the wiring diagram.

In the drawings, l'represents a standard or frame which is provided withan upward extension 2, a buck support 3 and upstandingpower shaftsupports 4 at the rear. Pivotally mounted in the upper end of theupright 2 is a head' lever 5 provided with'a counter weight 6 at therear and with a head 7 at the front end supported upon the lever. bysuitable ears 8 engaging pivot 9 carried by the lever. The front end ofthe lever 5' has a handle 10 and between this handle and the head thereis a spring'll which tends to tilt the head counter clockwise so thatstops 12 on the head engage stops 13 on the lever. The head is adaptedto engage a buck 14 mounted upon a support 15 carried by the bucksupport 3. The head, the lever 5 and the counter balance weight 6 arearranged so that they are counter balanced and this entire structure hasno tendency to open or close but remains in any position to which it ismoved! The head is closed by an energy storing device such as a movableweight comprising a pair of weights 16 and 17 mounted on arms 18 and 19respectively, and forminga part of a hub 20 loosely pivoted upon thepivot 21 of the head lever 5. These weights areadapted to be swungbetween suitable stops 22 and 23, the former being in front of the pivot21 and the latter being to the rear of it'and both carried by the headlever. The hub 20'is provided with a lever 24 provided with a pinadaptedlto engage in a slot 26 formed in the upper end of the link 27.This link 27 is pivoted to the arm 28 of a bell cranklever pivoted at 29to the frame and having a downing out to the front of the machine whereprovided with a suitable handle 33.

shift the weights until the arm 19' engages the stop 22; Thepreponderance of the weight is then toward closing and should besufficient to cause the head to move toward the work at a safe speed.When the head reaches the work its front edge engages the buck and thensettles upon the buck when the press is closed. If the operator wishesto open the press he pushes backward upon the lever with the parts inthe position shown in Fig. 2'when the weights are shifted over thecenter and.

' brought to a position so that the arm 18 engages the stop 23.. Thepreponderance of W81%1hl3 is then sufiicient to open the press.

T e foregoing mechanism is therefore an energy storing device or agravity closing and opening mechanism for a scissors type of garmentpress and is usable in this way or main-be utilized with power.

y suitable power mechanism may be used provided it can-operate with theparts so described and I have shown a simple and effective mechanism anditcomprises a motor means 34 mounted upon a suitable bracket 35 securedto the frame and having its shaft 36 entering a suitable'gear housing 37which is provided with a worm 38 upon the motor shaft and engages a wormwheel 39 upon a power shaft 40 which extends out through the casing andis supported in the bearing brackets 4. Outside of one of the bearingbrackets 4 the shaft 40 is provided with an eccentric 41 engaged by an.eccentric strap 42 having a socket 43 for receiving a pressure bar 44threaded into the socket and held in any adjusted position, as tolength, by 'a nut 45. The upper end of this rod 1s adapted to extend toa point where it may engage a shoulder 46 formed in the rear part of thehead lever 5 as will appear. The socket 34 is also provided with alaterally or forwardly extending arm 47 adapted to engage a stop bracket48 secured to one of the bearing brackets 4. A spring 49 tends to swingthe eccentric strap, its socket and pressure bar to engage 44 and thearm 47 in a clockwisedirection, as shown in Fig. 1, and toward the stop48 and when the eccentric has its lobe extending downward, as shown inFig. 1, the arm 47 is in engagement with the stop and the upper end ofthe pressure bar is out of a position the shoulder 46 so that the headlever may swing free of the pressure bar at all on the underside of thepartition. Above times when the power mechanism is in off position.

When, however, the eccentric is rotated and the pressure bar raised, thefirst'movement is a production of a clockwise swinging of the pressurebar, sincethe spring 49 holds the arm 47 against the stop 48 when theupper end of the pressure bar will pass under the shoulder 46 andfurther upward movement of the eccentric strap and pressure bar will produce final pressure upon the work. When the motor means is .a"gainoperated for the release operation, the eccentric strap and pressure barare moved downward until the arm 47 engages the stop 48 when the upperend of the pressure bar will be moved out of engagement with theshoulder 46.

Any suitable controlling means may be used but I have shown onearrangement which is effective in operation and it includes a pressureapplying switch comprising the casing 50 secured. to the frame andprovided with a partition 51 having an opening 52 therethrough for thepassage of a switch rod 53' which extends-down through a suitablebearing 54 in the bottom of the casing. The switch rod below thepartition 51 is provided with the collar 55 adapted to be engaged by aspring 56 thrusting against a washer 1517 t e partition the rod isprovided with a bridge piece 58 adapted to'engage between the com tacts59, 59* arranged in the circuit to the motor. The upper end of the rodpasses through an insulating block 60 for the contacts 59, 59 secured tothe underside of a cover 61 The extreme upper end of the rod isadjustably secured in the clevis 62 which is rovided with a pin 63engaging in aslot 64 1n a link 65 secured at 66 to the rear of the pivot21 of the .head lever 5. The length of the slot 64' and the arrangementof the parts of this switch are such that the head closes until thefront edge thereof engagesthe bed when the pin 63 has reached the lowerend of the slot 64. The settling of the head into matched relation withthe bed then produces an operation of this-switch such that the circuitthrou h it is closed and the power means is actuate to apply finalpressure. The final pressure is held throug the commutator mechanism tobe described until the press is released.

The release ofthe press is brought about by a switch mechanismcooperating with the pull rod 32 and it comprises a casing '67, Figs.

3 and'4, provided with bearings 68 for the rod 32 and with a contactlever 69 pivoted at 70 within the casing below the pull rod. This leverisprovided with a bridge piece 71- adapted to enter between the contacts72 and to close the circuit to the motor for thereleasing operation. Thelever 69 is controlled and operated by a spring 73 anchored in the.

rod 32, as shown in Fig. 3, and connected to a pin 74 on the lever 69. Apin 75 limits the switch thus breaking the circuit and when the rod 32is moved to the rear the spring 73 again passes thepivot 70 and causesthe switch to be moved into closed position.

To stop the motor means at the end of the pressure producing operationand at the end of the opening operation, the machine is provided with asuitable timing switch con nected in the electrical circuit and thistimer will now be described. As illustrated, it comrises a suitablecasing 76 provided with a radially and outwardly extending ear 77 havinga circumferentially extending slot 78 through which a bolt 79 is screwedinto the machine frame. The elongated slot 78 per- .mits slightadjustment of the casing 76 around the axis of the shaft 40 at thecenter ofsaid casing, the adjustability of said casing bein for thepurpose of changing the timing 0 the switch. Casing 76 carriesinsulating blocks 80, 81 upon which are the upper and lower segments 82and 83, the ends of said segments being separated by gaps 84. The timingswitch casing surrounds the crank shaft 40 which extends across theframe, and said shaft within the switch casing carries an insulatingblock 85 provided with a continuous conducting ring 86 to which iselectrically connected a swinging contact arm 87 whose shoe end ispressed outwardly against the segments 82 and 83 by a suitable spring88. A third insulating block 89 is also provided with a post 90 carryinga similar contact arm 91 pressed against the ring 86 and electricallyconnected with the post 90 to which one of the line wires is connected.Both of the insulating blocks 80, 81 are adjustable rotatably in thecasing76, for apurpose which will later appear. Specifically, each ofsaid insulating blocks on its outer face bears against and upon a pairof bosses 92 extending inwardly from the casin bosses havingcircumferentialfi' extending slots 93 through which extend clampingbolts 94 for clamping the insulating blocks to the casing. Thecircumferentially extending slots enable the clamping bolts to beloosened up and the insulating blocks with the conducting segmentscarried thereby to be adjusted circumferentially of the casing.

Referring to Fig. 8 shaft 40 rotates in the clockwise direction, the arm87 wiping in turn over each se ment. The far end of each segment iscurve inwardly, as at 95, so that as the shoe passes beyond the end ofeach contact it is lifted away from its normal oath of movement andsuddenly jumps off from one segment, producing a quick break, and thensuddenly engages into ample electrical contact with thenext segment.-

wall, said v i The electrical control and the wiring diagram is setforth in Fig. 9, wherein the motor 34 is connected to incoming line wireL with its other lead 96 branching into twolines, one of which 97 leadsto the contact 72 and the other of which 98 leads to the contact 59 ofthe head closing plunger switch. The other contact 59 of this plungerswitch is connected by a wire 99 to the upper contact segment 82 of thetiming switch. The movable contact shoe 87 of this timing switch, whichis operated by the crank shaft 40, is electrically connected to theother line wire L The other contact 72 of the control rod switch orpower pressure switch is connected by a wire 100 with the lower segment83 of the timing switch.

The press, as illustrated in Fig. 1 is open and ready for use by theoperators In us1ng the press the operator places the garment upon thebed 14 and then pulls upon the handle 33 which causes the connectionsbetween this handle and the weights 16 and 17 to move such weights fromthe full line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. Thepreponderance of the weight is then exerted upon the forward or closingside of the lever 5 with the result that the head moves to full closedposition without effort upon the part of the operator. As thehead-closes its front e e touches the bed first, clamps the work and tereafter settles to full matched position, the movement of the headlever 5 during this matching operation causing the actuation of theswitch comprising the contacts 59, 59 and the bridge 58 with the resultthat the circuit is closed through the closing half of the cycle of thetiming mechanism and the motor and the power mechanism rotates theeccentric 41 causing the pressure bar 44 to first swing to the r1 htuntil it engages under the shoulder 46 7% to the right is prevented andcontinued 0 eration of the eccentric 41 causes the head ever to berocked and final pressure to be exerted upon the work, When theeccentric reaches en further rotat on its extreme upper position, asshown in Fig.

2, the shoe 87 of the commutator switch leaves the uppersegment 82 andmoveson to the lower segment thus breaking the closing circuit, andpermitting the press to remain closed. The press remains in thisposition until the o erator opens it which is accomplished by pus ingthe handle 33 to the rear which shlfts the weights 16 and 17 from thefull line position shown in Fi 2 to a position where the arm 18 engagese stop pin 23 on the head lever when the weights are effective on therear side of the pivot 21 to exert an opening tendency u on the entirehead and lever structure. The rearward movement of the handle 33 haseffected the shifting of the switch lever 69 to close the opening switchwhich causes the final pressure creating means to goto the opening partcycle and open' the press and release the power means, the press beinopened by the weights which are, as state at that time efiective foropening the press. fHaving described my invention, I claim:

1. A pressing machine comprising a stationary work support, a head andhead-lever structure counterbalanced to be free of any normal tendencyto move to closed or open position, operator ener 'zed motor meanscapable of ener 'zation y the operator inde pendently of ead movementand arranged for actuation by the operator to be made effective upon thehead for closing the press, and power means including a controlleroperatively connected to said head, said power means being effectiveupon said head for producing final heavy pressure when the press isclosed.

' 2. As in claim 1, wherein the head and head lever structure is pivotedand the operator energized motor means is pivoted on substantially thesame pivot as the head and head lever structure and is adapted to bethrown by the operator on either side of the pivot and connected to thehead and head lever *structure. to urge the. same toward closed or.

open position and operator operated means for throwing the said weight.3. As in claim 1, wherein the head and head lever structure is pivotedand the operator energized motor means is pivotedon substantially thesame pivot as the head and head lever structure and is adapted to bethrown on either side of the pivot and connected to the head and headleverstructure to urge th same toward closed or open position.

In testimony whereof I hereby aifix my signature.

BLUFORD w. BRooKETT.

